If you’re an avid fan of the CBS series Criminal Minds, then Thomas Gibson’s face would be all too familiar. He starred as Aaron Hotchner, a former prosecutor and one of the BAU’s most experienced agents, who struggles to juggle the demands of his job and the life of his family. Let’s take a look at his life, his career, and the infamous circumstances under which he parted ways with Criminal Minds.
Thomas Gibson’s Bio
Thomas Gibson was born on July 3, 1962, into a Roman Catholic family in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, Charles, was a lawyer and politician. He represented the state of South Carolina in the United States Senate and House, while his mother, Beth, served as a social worker.
Young Thomas attended Little Theater School and later Bishop England High School. He attended the College of Charleston from 1979 to 1981. He then applied for a scholarship to the Juilliard School, New York, and was taken. There, Thomas studied fine arts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1985.
Prior to his professional training in the performing arts, Thomas had always had a flair for theatre. At age nine, he appeared in children’s theater and also had a guest appearance in Sixteen the Street: The Skateboard Musical, produced by production company Charleston Stage.
His first foray into television was in 1987 on the CBS legal drama Leg Job. He appeared in another CBS production As the World Turns. 1992 is the year Gibson hits the big screen in Ron Howard’s film. Away, where he played the role of Stephen Chase.
Over the years, his career has been on the rise, with many impressive performances. Films he has appeared in include Denys Arcand in Love and Human Remains, Barcelona, Men of War, Sleep With Me, Eyes Wide Shut, Next Step, among others.
He was nominated three times for a ScreenActors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series. He also has two Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical. In 2010, he won Entertainment Weekly’s online poll for Underrated Artist of the Year for his portrayal in Criminal Minds.
Why was Thomas Gibson fired from criminal minds?
On August 12, 2016, ABC Studios announced that Thomas Gibson had been fired after appearing in two episodes of the twelfth season of the American police procedural crime television series. Criminal Minds. This was after a mini fight on set with co-executive producer and writer Virgil Williams.
Also Read: 7 Interesting Things to Know About British Actor Kenneth Branagh
It’s no surprise to most cast and crew as Gibson was seen as a difficult character who had trouble controlling his fiery temper. The altercation that led to his firing from the show was the third time he had trouble filming Criminal Minds.
At the earliest opportunity, in December 2010, assistant director Ian Woolf felt rushed during a late-night filming session. His superiors then asked him to take an eight-hour course in anger management.
In January 2013, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after cops struggled to stop him from driving through part of LA that was cordoned off for a marathon. When Gibson was pulled over, Gibson refused a breathalyzer, as it was obvious he smelled of alcohol. After the incident, his driver’s license was seized for a while and had to rely on all of the criminal minds to drive him.
His dismissal from the production was seen as the culmination of the aforementioned events and the fact that cast sources said he mostly felt incompetent and inferior.
After being pulled from production, subsequent episodes portray Gibson’s character Aaron Hotchner (former BAU unit leader and supervisory special agent) as being away on a special assignment. Thomas Gibson had been in criminal minds for 12 years.
Net value
By any measure, Thomas Gibson had a stellar career. In addition to acting, he successfully directed a few episodes of the medical drama series Chicago Hope and ABC’s sitcom DBC & Greg. According to many sources, his net worth is between $15 and $18 million.
What is he doing now?
Career-wise, his last projects were playing Colonel Branson – head of a covert, undercover NSA division in Shadow Wolves, a TV movie created by McKay Daines.
Recently, he finalized his divorce from Cristina Parker, after more than two decades of marriage. He currently lives in San Antonio.
